2020-21 Vacation Scheme Applications Discussion

[AS2000]

I'm in the same position as you! Got on to their OD and sent application off on deadline day. fingers crossed for both of us!

Hope we both hear some good news from them soon! Which OD did you attend if I may ask?

 

[Carmen H]

Its always so frustrating getting rejected from a firm you previously passed the paper stage for!

Yeah I'm starting to worry about this for Withers too - last year they got back to me at the end of November with my AC for January. This year - radio silence

 

[Lumree]

I wanted to make it a good one. Request from @Lumree for more HIMYM I believe

 

[OB]

Also PFO from SPB, I applied in the same week as the deadline as well

I don't know about any of you but I found the rejection email quite patronising? Where it said "Unfortunately in this instance we did not feel your application demonstrated all of the above to the level required. Due to the volume of applications we have received, we are not in a position to offer you individual feedback on your application. However it may be possible for you to receive such feedback from a careers advisor at your university; they should be able to help you identify which areas can be improved and how best to achieve this." - I don't think they even read my application! I don't go to university, graduated years ago and have been working ever since... I know you sometimes you can go back to your university careers service, but I still found it incredibly patronising

I also wasn't a fan of the email! They also managed to refer to the application as for a placement scheme and then for a training contract further down the email ...

 

[Celestie]

I also wasn't a fan of the email! They also managed to refer to the application as for a placement scheme and then for a training contract further down the email ...

Oh dear... that's a bit embarrassing.

 

[Lily721]

Do people feel like this year it is much more competitive? Like there are much more applications than usual or something?

I don't know if it is because of the pandemic, but last year and the year before that felt somewhat more....more "straightforward"....less waiting time etc...

 

[cmaj]

I also wasn't a fan of the email! They also managed to refer to the application as for a placement scheme and then for a training contract further down the email ...

Yes!!! I thought the same thing! Especially given the fact that one of the points of feedback in the list was "Attention to detail (including spelling, punctuation and grammar)" and on top of what you said, there were definitely missing commas in the email and the random capital letter in "Motivation & Drive towards both a career in law and working for Squire Patton Boggs" 😄

There wasn't even a "Dear [name]"...

 

[R1a01]

has anyone heard from BCLP, Mishcon(post app), Addleshaw & Eversheds (london)?

Invite from BCLP for an interview last week! Not heard back from Mishcon

 

[AS2000]

Does anyone know how long does Mayer Brown take to get back to candidates after the Verbal Test? Also, am I screwed if I didn't do well on the test? Scored "average" on the best. Don't know what went wrong, usually do well on those. Hope it turns out well.

 

[NextStageOfTheApplication]

Just received a rejection email from SPB's London office today

 

[I.Like.UFOs.Not.PFOs]

I also wasn't a fan of the email! They also managed to refer to the application as for a placement scheme and then for a training contract further down the email ...

Yes!!! I thought the same thing! Especially given the fact that one of the points of feedback in the list was "Attention to detail (including spelling, punctuation and grammar)" and on top of what you said, there were definitely missing commas in the email and the random capital letter in "Motivation & Drive towards both a career in law and working for Squire Patton Boggs" 😄

There wasn't even a "Dear [name]" on the email...

Oh wow really! I have no ill will against them but I remember starting their application and getting frustrated - I’m not sure if it was a problem on my end but it seemed as if you had to do the application in one sitting? In the end I just didn’t apply 😂 did not need another thing to add to the stress of the whole application process

 

[NSinger]

Invite from BCLP for an interview last week! Not heard back from Mishcon

Congrats! When did you apply?

 

[Elle W]

Bit late to the SPB PFO party but also received the rejection for the London office today!

 

[cmaj]

Oh wow really! I have no ill will against them but I remember starting their application and getting frustrated - I’m not sure if it was a problem on my end but it seemed as if you had to do the application in one sitting? In the end I just didn’t apply 😂 did not need another thing to add to the stress of the whole application process

Mine was the same! You couldn't save your application so had to restart every time you came back to it. It was very frustrating!

 

[OB]

Do people feel like this year it is much more competitive? Like there are much more applications than usual or something?

I don't know if it is because of the pandemic, but last year and the year before that felt somewhat more....more "straightforward"....less waiting time etc...

At my CMS AC, grad rec said there was roughly about 36% more applications this year than last year! I imagine its perhaps increased across the board as well

 

[thirdtimelucky]

Yeah I'm starting to worry about this for Withers too - last year they got back to me at the end of November with my AC for January. This year - radio silence

oh god its the worst! I'm waiting on Mishcon post VI and rejection from SPB (VI last year)! In some ways, its clear how random it can be because I've 100% improved from last year but clearly I was more successful lol. Fingers crossed you hear back soon and its positive!!

 

[OB]

Squire Patton Boggs really told us to bog off

 

[Adrian_Healey]

PFO from SPB 😥
Applied early October

 

[SouffléSouffléSoufflé]

Invite from BCLP for an interview last week! Not heard back from Mishcon

Congratulations on getting an interview! Would you mind me asking when you completed the test for BCLP?

 

[E.A]

Does anyone know how long does Mayer Brown take to get back to candidates after the Verbal Test? Also, am I screwed if I didn't do well on the test? Scored "average" on the best. Don't know what went wrong, usually do well on those. Hope it turns out well.

It depends, last year I waited 2 weeks, this year I waited approx 4 weeks post test to get telephone interview invite. Don't worry too much about the test as I got to the AC last year with one below average, one above and rest average